Headset terminal with rear stability strap

ABSTRACT

A headset adapted to be positioned on a head includes a headband assembly for spanning across the head of a user. An earcup assembly is coupled proximate one end of the headband assembly. A power source assembly is coupled proximate the other end of the headband assembly. A flexible stabilizing strap has a first end coupled to the headset proximate the earcup assembly and a second end coupled to the headset terminal proximate the power source assembly. The stabilizing strap is adapted to engage the head of a user to further stabilize the headset on the head.

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No.11/347,979 filed on Feb. 6, 2006 the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to portable or mobile computerterminals and more specifically to mobile terminals having speechfunctionality for executing and directing tasks using voice or speech.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wearable, mobile and/or portable computer terminals are used for a widevariety of tasks. Such terminals allow the workers using them (“users”)to maintain mobility, while providing the worker with desirablecomputing and data-processing functions. Furthermore, such terminalsoften provide a communication link to a larger, more centralizedcomputer system that directs the activities of the user and processesany collected data. One example of a specific use for awearable/mobile/portable terminal is a product management system thatinvolves product distribution and tracking as well as product inventorymanagement.

Computerized product management systems with mobile terminals are usedin various inventory/order-based industries, such as food and retailproduct distribution, manufacturing, and quality control, for example.An overall integrated product management system may utilize a centralcomputer system that runs a program for product tracking and managementand for order filling. A plurality of mobile terminals is employed bythe users of the system to communicate (usually in a wireless fashion)with the central system for the product handling. The users performvarious manual tasks, such as product picking and placement, perinstructions they receive through the terminals, via the central system.The terminals also allow the users to interface with the computersystem, such as to respond to inquiries or confirm the completion ofcertain tasks. Therefore, an overall integrated management systeminvolves a combination of a central computer system for tracking andmanagement, and the people who use and interface with the computersystem in the form of order fillers, pickers and other workers. Theworkers handle the manual aspects of the integrated system under thecommand and control of information transmitted from the central computersystem to the wireless mobile terminals worn by the users.

To provide an interface between the central computer system and theworkers, such mobile terminals and the central systems to which they areconnected may be voice-driven or speech-driven; i.e., the systemoperates using human speech. Speech is synthesized and played to theuser, via the mobile terminal, to direct the tasks of the user andcollect data. The user then answers or asks questions; and the speechrecognition capabilities of the mobile terminal convert the user speechto a form suitable for use by the terminal and central system. Thereby,a bi-directional communication stream of information is exchanged over awireless network between the wireless wearable terminals and the centralcomputer system using speech.

Conventionally, mobile computer terminals having voice or speechcapabilities utilize a headset device that is coupled to the mobileterminal. The terminal is worn on the body of a user, such as around thewaist, and the headset connects to the terminal, such as with a cord orcable. The headset has a microphone for capturing the voice of the userfor voice data entry and commands, and also includes one or more earspeakers for both confirming the spoken words of the user and also forplaying voice instructions and other audio that are generated orsynthesized by the terminal. Through the headset, the workers are ableto receive voice instructions or questions about their tasks, ask andanswer questions, report the progress of their tasks, and report workingconditions, such as inventory shortages, for example. Therefore, inconventional mobile terminal systems, headsets are matched withrespective terminals and worn by the user to operate in conjunction withthe terminals.

An illustrative example of a set of worker tasks suitable for a wirelessmobile terminal with speech capabilities may involve initially welcomingthe worker to the computerized inventory management system and defininga particular task or order, for example, filling a load for a particulartruck scheduled to depart from a warehouse. The worker may then answerwith a particular area (e.g., freezer) that they will be working in forthat order. The system then vocally directs the worker to a particularaisle and bin to pick a particular quantity of an item for the order.The worker then vocally confirms the location that they have gone to andvocally confirms the number of picked items, and/or various otherinformation about the picked items. The system then directs the workerto the next items to be picked for the order, and this continues untilthe order is filled or otherwise completed. The system may then directthe worker to a loading dock or bay for a particular truck to receivethe finished order. As may be appreciated, the specific communicationsexchanged between the wireless mobile terminal and the central computersystem using speech can be task-specific and highly variable.

The mobile speech terminals provide a significant efficiency in theperformance of the workers tasks. Specifically, using such terminals,the work is done virtually hands-free without equipment to juggle orpaperwork to carry around. However, while existing speech systemsprovide hands-free operations, they also have various drawbacksassociated with their configuration, and particularly with the headsetand its interface with the mobile terminal.

One drawback with current systems is that the headset is attached to aterminal with a cord which extends generally from the terminal(typically worn on a belt) to the head of the worker where the headsetis located. As may be appreciated, the workers are moving rapidly aroundtheir work area and are often jumping on and off forklifts, palletloaders, and other equipment. Therefore, there is a possibility for acord to get caught on some object, such as a forklift. When this occurs,the cord will tend to want to separate either from the headset or fromthe terminal, thus requiring repair or replacement. Generally, the cordsare permanently attached to a headset and each worker maintains theirown headset (e.g. for individual responsibility and/or hygienepurposes). The cords are then plugged into the terminals; therefore, theseparation will generally occur at the terminal socket.

Attempts have been made to appropriately handle a snagged cord and cordseparation to prevent such an event from rendering the terminalinoperable and in need of repair and replacement. One suitable approachis illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,911, which is commonly owned withthe present application. However, the loose and dangling cord stillremains somewhat of an issue with voice-enabled mobile terminals andtheir headsets.

Attempts have been made to eliminate the cords between the headset andmobile terminals by using wireless headsets. For example, such anapproach is set forth in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/303,271entitled Wireless Headset and Method for Robust Voice DataCommunication, filed Dec. 16, 2005, which application is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. However, such a system stillrequires a separate mobile terminal for use with the headset. As may beappreciated, multiple headsets and mobile terminals increases the numberof units that must be purchased, maintained and tracked at a facility.In a large warehouse facility, this may be a significant task and alsopresent a significant cost in maintaining the equipment. Therefore,there is still a need to improve upon existing mobile terminal systemsand particularly to improve upon such systems that are utilized inspeech tasks or speech-enabled environments. One suitable solution is toincorporate the functionality of a speech terminal with a head-worndevice. This eliminates the need for separate headsets and addresses theissues noted above. However, other issues have not been adequatelyaddressed and thus there remains a need for a mobile head-worn terminalthat is suitable for speech-directed applications.

Any solution to the above-noted issues must address wearability andcontrol issues by providing a headset that is operable on both sides ofthe head without a significant positional shift in the layout of theterminal and its controls. Furthermore, since the headset terminal isworn for extended periods on the head, it must be comfortable for theuser and readily positioned on either side of the head. Weight is also aconsideration, as is complexity in the construction of the headsetterminal. Because of the increased processing functions that arenecessary in a speech-enabled headset terminal, the space usage, thecircuit component layout, and necessary wiring must also be addressed ina suitably robust, yet aesthetically pleasing design. Loose or exposedwires or cables in a headset are unappealing and certainly undesirablein a work environment.

Power considerations are also an issue in a headset terminal, as theweight of a battery is no longer carried at the waist of a user. Anybattery must be readily removable and replaceable without a complicatedmounting assembly that adds complexity and weight to the overall headsetdesign.

Furthermore, because of the increased functionality of a headsetterminal, it must have the ability to operate wirelessly with an overallcentral system or other components.

Still further, in conventional headset/terminal assemblies, the usersgenerally maintain their own headset for hygiene purposes and share themobile terminals. Incorporating the terminal functionality into aheadset eliminates the separate shared terminal, and thus there is aneed to address the hygiene aspects of the work environment in a headsetterminal, while allowing sharing of the headset terminal among variousworker shifts.

Accordingly, there is a need, unmet by current communication systems andmobile terminals, to address the issues noted above. There isparticularly an unmet need in the area of terminals for performingspeech-directed work and other speech-directed tasks using synthesizedspeech and speech recognition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,together with a general description of the invention given above and theDetailed Description given below, serve to explain the invention.

FIG. 1 is schematic block diagram of a system for a mobile terminalembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a headset terminal in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a boom assembly for a headset terminalin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of a boom assembly for a headsetterminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a boom assembly for a headsetterminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of a headset terminal in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view, in partial cutaway, of a headband assembly for aheadset terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is another side view, in partial cutaway, of a headband assemblyfor a headset terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a portion of a boom assembly for a headsetterminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view along lines 10-10 of the boom assemblyof FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is another side perspective view of a headset terminal inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a side view of portion of a headset terminal in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of a latch structure in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13A is a bottom perspective view of a latch structure in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view along lines 14-14 of the headsetterminal of FIG. 11 showing a latch engaging a battery.

FIG. 15 is another cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 14 showing thelatch disengaged.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view along lines 16-16 of the headsetterminal of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a headset terminal in accordance withanother embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged perspective view of the earcup assembly shown inFIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged perspective view of the power source/electronicsassembly shown in FIG. 17.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a headset terminal in accordance withanother embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a unique headset configuration. Oneembodiment of the present invention is a speech-enabled mobile computerin the form of a wireless headset for handling speech-directedapplications that require high mobility and high data transmissionspeed, such as warehousing, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, logging, anddefense applications. The headset terminal of the present inventionprovides full speech functionality, is ultra lightweight, i.e., lessthan 10 ounces, provides full shift operation on a single batterycharge, and includes a modular architecture that allows the separationof the “personal” components of the wireless headset mobile computer,i.e., those that touch the user's head, ears, or mouth, from thenon-personal expensive electronics and, thereby, promotes good hygieneand low cost of ownership. The embodiment of the present inventionprovides the full speech functionality of a Vocollect Talkman® or T2® orT5® which is sold by Vocollect of Pittsburgh, Pa., the owner of thepresent application.

The mobile headset of the invention also incorporates unique features inits controls, headband structure, battery configuration andmicrophone/speaker assembly, that enhance the operation, comfort,durability, versatility and robustness of the headset. While oneparticular embodiment of the invention as discussed herein is in theform of a fully speech-enabled mobile headset terminal, the variousaspects of the headset design as disclosed herein are equally applicablein a stand-alone headset that operates with a separate, body-worn,mobile computer terminal. That is, the headset features disclosed hereinare also equally applicable to a conventional headset that couples bywire or wirelessly to a body-worn terminal. The features of theinvention, for example, are applicable to use with the wireless headsetand system set forth in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/303,271,noted above. Furthermore, the aspects of the invention haveapplicability to headsets in general, and not just to those used inconjunction with mobile terminals. Therefore, various aspects of thepresent invention are not limited only to mobile speech terminals andsimilar applications, but have applicability to headsets in general,wired or wireless. Of course, the aspects of the invention haveparticular applicability to wireless headsets and mobile headsetterminals.

FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of a wireless, mobileheadset terminal or computer 50 in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention. Headset terminal 50 provides speech functionality equal to orexceeding the functionality of the Vocollect “Talkman” or “T2” or “T5”mobile computers, available from Vocollect of Pittsburgh, Pa. To thatend, a processor or CPU 12 may include the speech recognition and speechsynthesis circuitry as well as applications to direct the activity of auser using speech or voice. In one embodiment, wireless headset terminal50 is a speech-enabled device that uses speech predominantly for inputand output (e.g., no standard I/O devices, such as a video display,keypad, or mouse). Headset terminal provides improvements over existingspeech-enabled products, such as packaging simplification, weightreduction, dynamic performance improvements, cost and maintenancereduction, reduced power consumption, reliability improvements,increased radio bandwidth, and elimination of all cables and cordsusually associated with headsets.

Headset terminal 50 includes one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs)10 that contain the electronic components of the headset terminal. Forexample, the PCB 10 might be located in the earcup assembly 52 ofheadset terminal 50 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, and might contain all ofthe processing components, including speech processing components, forthe terminal. In another embodiment, another PCB might be positioned inthe electronics/power source assembly 54 (see FIG. 2), along with thepower source, such as a battery. The functional processing andelectrical components shown in FIG. 1 may thus be positioned in variousplaces or on multiple PCB's in terminal 50. For the purpose ofdiscussion, they are shown on a single PCB 10. Headset terminal 50includes a processor or CPU 12, an audio input/output stage 14, memory,such as a flash RAM 16, a WLAN radio 18, a user interface or control 20,and a WPAN device 22. Wireless headset terminal 50 further includes amicrophone 26 (it may also include an auxiliary microphone 27), aspeaker 28 (FIG. 5), and a battery pack or other power source 30 (FIG.11). More details of the physical integration of the elements ofwireless headset terminal 50 are discussed in reference to FIGS. 2-16herein. In some embodiments, terminal 50 utilizes an integrated RFIDreader 34 or couples to an RFID reader through an appropriateconnection. The RFID reader is operable for reading an RFID tag andgenerating an output reflective of the read tag.

For example, headset terminal may operate with the functionality of thesystem disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/247,291 entitledIntegrated Wearable Terminal for Voice-Directed Work and RFIDIdentificationNerification, filed Oct. 11, 2005, which application isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety. To that end, theprocessor 12 may include the necessary speech recognition/synthesiscircuitry for voice or speech applications, such as those applicationsthat direct the work of a user. The headset terminal supports variousoperator languages, with a wide range of text-to-speech functionality.Terminal 50 is also configured with “record and playback” technology.Terminal 50 and processor 12 are configured, as appropriate, to be fullyfunctional with existing Talkman™ software infrastructure components,including Voice Console™, Voice Link™ and Voice Builder™ componentsavailable from Vocollect.

Wireless headset terminal 50 is a strong, lightweight computer terminalthat is especially designed for use in industrial environments. Theterminal may operate in an environment −30° C. to 50° C. The user wearsheadset terminal 50 on their head and, thus, retains full freedom ofmovement. There are no exposed wires or cords to get caught or snagged.Through speaker 28, the operator receives information or commands in aspeech or voice format and responds directly to the commands by speakinginto a microphone 26. All information is relayed, in real time or batch,to and from a central computer (not shown) through a wireless RF network(not shown), as is known in the art of speech-enabled systems.

Processor/CPU 12 is a general purpose processor for managing the overalloperation of wireless headset terminal 50. Processor/CPU 12 may be, forexample, a 600 MHz Intel® XScale™ processor, or other processor,indicative of currently available technology. The XScale™ processorcombines the processor and memory in a small square device. Processor 12is capable of handling various speech recognition algorithms and speechsynthesis algorithms without the need for additional speech recognitiontechnology, such as ASICs or DSP components. Processor 12, in oneembodiment, thus includes speech recognition circuitry and speechsynthesis circuitry for recognizing and synthesizing speech. Processor12 also includes suitable software for providing speech applications,such as work applications to communicate activity information with auser by speech and also to collect data from the user about the activityalso using speech. Such speech applications as used for worker directionare known and are available from Vocollect, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa.Processor 12 is suitably electrically connected to the variouscomponents of the terminal as shown in FIG. 1, by appropriateinterconnections. In another embodiment, the speechrecognition/synthesis circuitry might be separate from CPU 12 as shownwith reference numeral 13.

The audio input/output stage 14 receives an audio signal from microphone26, which may be a standard boom-mounted, directional, noise-cancelingmicrophone that is positioned near the user's mouth. Audio input/outputstage 14 also provides a standard audio output circuit for drivingspeaker 28, which may be a standard audio speaker located in the earcupof wireless headset terminal 50 as shown in FIG. 2. Memory 16 may be astandard memory storage device that serves as the program and datamemory device associated with processor 12. Memory component 16 may bein addition to other memory, such as flash memory, in the processor.While each of the functional blocks is shown separately in FIG. 1, thefunctionality of certain blocks might be combined in a single device.

WLAN radio component 18 is a standard WLAN radio that uses well-knownwireless networking technology, such as WiFi, for example, that allowsmultiple devices to share a single high-speed connection for a WLAN.WLAN refers to any type of wireless local area network, including802.11b, 802.11a, and 802.11g and a full 801.22i wireless securitysuite. WLAN radio 18 is integrated into wireless headset terminal 50.Furthermore, WLAN radio 18 provides high bandwidth that is suitable forhandling applications that require high data transmission speed, such aswarehousing, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, logging, and defenseapplications. WLAN radio 18 may be used for transmitting data in realtime or in batch form to/from the central computer 19 and receiving workapplications, tasks or assignments, for example.

User interface 20 provides control of the headset terminal and iscoupled with suitable control components 64, such as control buttons asillustrated in FIG. 2. User interface 20 and controls 64 are used forcontrolling the terminal 50 for anything that cannot be accomplished byvoice, such as for turning power ON/OFF, varying volume, moving throughselection menus, etc.

WPAN interface device 22 is a component that permits communication in awireless personal area network (WPAN), such as Bluetooth, for example,which is a wireless network for interconnecting devices centered arounda person's workspace, e.g., the headset terminal user's workspace. TheWPAN interface device 22 allows terminal 50 to interface with anyWPAN-compatible, body-worn wireless peripheral devices associated withthe terminal user, such as Bluetooth devices.

Battery pack 30 is a lightweight, rechargeable power source thatprovides suitable power for running terminal 50 and its components.Battery pack 30, for example, may include one or more lithium-sulfurbatteries that have suitable capacity to provide full shift operation ofwireless headset terminal 50 on a single charge.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side perspective view of a headset apparatussuitable for the headset terminal of the invention. FIG. 2 shows thatwireless headset terminal 50 includes a headband assembly 56 and anearcup assembly 52 with a microphone boom assembly 62. Earcup assembly52 and microphone boom assembly 62 further include an earcup housing 58,a boom outer housing 132, 134, and a boom arm 108, upon which is mountedmicrophone 26, which may be covered with a removable microphonewindscreen 29, and user controls 64, which are coupled with userinterface 20 of FIG. 1. The embodiment illustrated in the Figures showsrelatively simple controls, such as control buttons 102, 104. However,the controls may be further sophisticated, as desired.

As noted, FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a headset forincorporating embodiments of the present invention. For example, theheadset 50 might be utilized to incorporate the wireless voice-enabledterminal discussed herein, as one aspect of the invention.Alternatively, headset 50 might also be utilized as a stand-aloneheadset that is coupled by wire or wirelessly to a separate portable ormobile voice terminal that is appropriately worn, such as on the waistof a user that is using headset 50. Headset 50 incorporates variousdifferent features and aspects of the present invention that will findapplicability not only with a wireless voice-enabled headset terminal asdiscussed herein, but also with a headset for use with a separatebody-worn terminal, or with a headset for other uses, such asnon-voice-enabled uses.

Headset 50 includes an earcup structure or assembly 52 connected with anopposing power source/electronics structure or assembly 54. As may beappreciated, the earcup assembly 52 couples with the ear of a user whilethe power source/electronics assembly 54 sits on the opposite side of auser's head. Both structures 52, 54 are coupled together by a headbandassembly 56 as discussed further hereinbelow. Headset 50 incorporatesvarious features of the invention. In one embodiment of the invention,the headset 50 itself is a fully-operable, voice-enabled mobile computerterminal that includes the necessary electronics, as discussed above, toprovide speech recognition and speech synthesis for variousspeech-directed applications. To that end, the electronics, which wouldbe incorporated on a suitable printed circuit board 10, may be locatedin either the earcup assembly 52 and/or the power supply/electronicsassembly 54. The earcup assembly 52 is adjustable as discussed furtherhereinbelow and shown in FIGS. 6-8, and thus may be adjusted to fitcomfortably onto a user's head.

The earcup assembly 52 includes a housing 58 which houses the variouscomponents of the earcup assembly, such as a speaker 28, and supportsthe boom assembly 62 that may include electronics 10, including anyelectronics which might be utilized to make the headset a mobileterminal for voice applications as shown in FIG. 1. A cushion or earpad60 is formed of foam or another suitable material for comfort on the earwhen the headset is worn and the earpad abuts the user's ear. The earpad60 interfaces with housing 58 and may be removably coupled with housing58, such as with a detachable earpad mount, not shown. In that way, theearpad may be easily or readily detached or snapped off of the housingfor hygiene purposes as noted herein. A boom assembly 62 is rotatablymounted with the housing 58 and includes suitable controls 64 and amicrophone 26, positioned at the end of the boom. A sliding arm 68couples with housing 58 through a yoke portion or yoke 70. The housing58 is pivotally mounted with yoke 70, so that the earcup assembly 52 maypivot slightly with respect to the headband assembly 56 for the comfortof the user. The sliding arm 68 slides within a saddle 72 coupled tobands 74 a, 74 b, in accordance with one aspect of the presentinvention.

The headband assembly 56 includes two transverse bands 74 a , 74 b whichextend from side-to-side across a user's head to hold the earcupassembly 52 and power source/electronics assembly 54 on the user's head,in a somewhat typical headband fashion. The multiple transverse bandsassure a secure fit on the user's head and may include cushions or pads76, also made of foam or another suitable material for comfort and fit.A stabilizing strap 78 intersects the two transverse bands 74 a, 74 band is coupled to each transverse band respectively with a clip 80 orother suitable fixation structure. The stabilizing strap 78 is free toslide through the clips for positioning between the transverse bands.The stabilizing strap 78 also extends partially along the back of theuser's head and/or the forehead, as desired by the user, to provideadditional stability to headset terminal 50. The strap may slide backand forth so that the headset terminal 50 may be worn on either side ofthe head. At the end of the stabilizing strap 78 are stop structures 82and respective cushions 84. The stop structures limit the sliding of thestabilizing strap 78 through the clips 80, so the stabilizing strapcannot be slid past the endmost position. The cushions 84 providesuitable comfort for the user.

Stabilizing strap 78 provides a significant advantage in combinationwith the multiple transverse bands 74 a , 74 b. As may be appreciated,the headset terminal 50 may carry significant weight when utilized as amobile, voice-enabled terminal with suitable processing electronics anda power source, such as a battery. The battery in particular, located inpower source/electronics assembly 54 is oftentimes significantly heavyso as to cause a stability issue. The present invention, which utilizesmultiple transverse bands 74 a, 74 b coupled with a stabilizing strap78, provides the desired stability and comfort for the user.Furthermore, headset terminal 50, is utilized in environments whereinthe user is moving very rapidly through multiple tasks and is bendingover and standing up quite often. Therefore, the increased stability ofthe headset provided by one aspect of the present invention is certainlya desirable feature. The power source/electronics assembly 54, asillustrated in FIGS. 2 and 11, includes a housing 90 which may containother suitable electronics and associate PCB's for headset terminal 50,and which also contains a portable power source, such as battery 92. Alatch 94, in accordance with another aspect of the invention discussedfurther hereinbelow, holds the battery 92 in position. Housing 90 issuitably coupled to ends of respective transverse bands 74 a, 74 b. Asuitable cushion or pad 96 provides user comfort as the powersource/electronics assembly 54 rests against the user's head. Generally,the assembly 54 will rest above the ear of the user, while the earcupcovers the opposite ear. Other aspects of the headband assembly areillustrated in U.S. Design Patent Application Serial No. 29/242,817,entitled HEADSET and filed Nov. 15, 2005, which application isincorporated herein by reference, in its entirety.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate one aspect of the present invention andspecifically disclose the inventive positional features of the controls64 on the boom assembly 62. The controls are uniquely laid out to ensurethat the controls 64 remain in a relatively similar position withrespect to their operation by the user, regardless of the side of thehead on which the earcup assembly 52 and boom assembly 62 arepositioned. Furthermore, they spatially give the user an indication oftheir functions. As may be appreciated, a user utilizing the headsetterminal 50 of the invention may want to position the earcup assemblysuch that it is either over the right ear or the left ear. That is,headset terminal 50 may be worn on the right side or left side of thehead. To that end, the boom assembly 62 is rotatable in either directionas indicated by arrow 100 in FIG. 3. The controls 64 incorporate an (UPdirection or function) button 102 and (DOWN direction or function)button 104. The UP direction or UP button 102 is indicated by a (+)while the DOWN direction or DOWN button 104 is indicated by a (−). Forphysical determination of the controls by the user, the buttons are alsoshaped differently as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6. The UP button102 generally has a convex shape or profile while the DOWN button 104has a concave shape or profile. It may be appreciated, the shapes mightbe switched between the two buttons such that button 102 is concave andbutton 104 is convex. Furthermore, instead of having concave/convex thebuttons may have other physical indications thereon which are sensed bythe fingertips of the user, such as individual symbols or dots (e.g.Braille). The shape of the control buttons 102 making up control 64 isalso illustrated in U.S. Design Patent Application Serial No. 29/242,950entitled CONTROL PANEL FOR A HEADSET, filed Nov. 16, 2005, whichapplication is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Therefore, the boom assembly 62 of the present invention providestactile controls 64 so that the user can operate the controls withoutseeing which buttons are engaged.

The UP and DOWN buttons 102, 104 are coupled to user interfacecomponents 20 and may provide a way of moving through various controlmenus provided by software that is run by the headset terminal 50. Forexample, the buttons might provide UP/DOWN volume control or allowUP/DOWN scrolling through a menu. The buttons might also have thefunctionality of turning the headset terminal ON and OFF or providingany of a variety of different controls for the headset terminal.Accordingly, while the buttons 102, 104 of controls 64 are indicated asUP/DOWN buttons herein, that terminology is not limiting with respect totheir functionality. Furthermore, while two buttons are illustrated inthe Figures of this application, multiple other control buttons orcontrols might be utilized in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the buttons102, 104 are positioned on opposite sides of the boom assembly rotationaxis 106 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The construction of the boomassembly 62, as shown in FIG. 5 and discussed below, defines an axis ofrotation 106, about which the boom assembly rotates. With the controlspositioned as disclosed herein, when the boom assembly 62 is rotatedabout the axis 106 to operate either on the left side of the user's heador on the right side of the user's head, the orientation of the controlsremains consistent on the boom assembly with respect to the head of theuser. That is, the top or upper controls remain at the top and the lowercontrols remain at the bottom. In that way, once a user becomes familiarwith the position of the controls and their operation, such familiaritywill be maintained regardless of which side of the user's head theearcup structure and boom assembly is positioned. Furthermore, thespatial positioning of the control buttons is constant, and thus, thespatial position of the controls may be used to provide an indication ofthe function of the controls.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the boom assembly 62 is shownpositioned to operate when the earcup structure 52 is positioned on theright side of a user's head. The user's mouth projects toward microphone26. In such a position, the UP button 102 is vertically higher on theboom or more rearward of the boom arm 108 and microphone 26 than is theDOWN button 104 which is vertically lower or more forward along the boomassembly toward the microphone 26. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, thebuttons are on either side of axis 106 such that when the boom assemblyis rotated as illustrated by arrow 100 to the position in FIG. 4 for useon the left side of a user's head, the controls 64 maintain theirsimilar orientation on the headset and their spatial positioning withthe UP button 102 higher and the DOWN button 104 lower. Their relativeposition with respect to each other also provides an advantage as the UPbutton is on top and the DOWN button is on the bottom, relative thevertical. As such, when a user learns how to use the headset terminal 50of the invention, it does not matter whether they position the boomassembly, earcup assembly, and microphone 26 on the right side or theleft side of their head. The orientation of the controls remains thesame and thus they are able to utilize the control buttons 102, 104 inthe same fashion on either side of the head. Furthermore, the UP buttonstays on top and the DOWN button is on the bottom. As such, in additionto the unique shape of the control buttons that helps distinguish themfrom each other, their positioning on either side of the boom rotationaxis and their spatial positioning relative each other provides afurther desirable consistency such that operation of the headsetterminal can be readily mastered regardless of how the headset isutilized.

Along those lines, the stabilizing strap 78 as illustrated in FIG. 2 canalso slide forwardly or backwardly with respect to the transverse bands74 a and 74 b and the clips 80 so that the headset terminal 50 may beutilized on either side of the head as desired. The microphone 26utilized with the boom assembly might be any suitable microphone forcapturing the speech of the user. For voice applications, and avoice-enabled headset terminal, it is desirable that the microphone 26be of sufficient quality for capturing speech in a manner that isconducive to speech recognition applications. Other applications may notrequire a high quality microphone. A wind screen 29 might be used onmicrophone 26 and is removable to personalize the headset terminal tothe user as discussed further below.

In one embodiment of the invention, an auxiliary microphone 27 might beutilized to reduce noise, to determine when the user speaks into themicrophone 26 or for other purposes (see FIG. 1). The auxiliarymicrophone may be located as appropriate on the headset 50. For example,one embodiment of the invention might utilize the system set forth inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/671,140, entitled Wireless Headsetfor Use in Speech Recognition Environment, filed Sep. 25, 2003 or thesystem set forth in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/671,142,entitled Apparatus and Method for Detecting User Speech, filed Sep. 25,2003, both applications being incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

FIGS. 5, 9 and 10 illustrate other aspects of the present inventionwherein the housing 58 which contains a speaker 28 may be rotatablycoupled with the microphone boom assembly 62 quickly and easily with aminimal amount of separate fastening structures, such as screws, whichmay take up valuable printed circuit board (PCB) space that is necessaryto house the desired electronics for the headset terminal 50. Theadvantage provided by the retainer structure of the earcup housing andboom assembly of the invention is particularly desirable when theheadset terminal 50 is utilized for voice applications, whereinelectrical components with sufficient processing power are necessary andcircuit board space is at a premium. FIG. 5 illustrates portions of theearcup assembly 52 made up of a speaker module 120 and microphone boomassembly 62. FIG. 9 illustrates the microphone boom assembly 62assembled with speaker module 120 incorporated in the housing 58. FIG.10 shows a cross section of FIG. 9 illustrating the inventive snap-inrelation between the boom assembly 62 and speaker module 120.

Turning again to FIG. 5, the speaker module 120 includes housing 58which is shown in the Figures as generally circular in shape andincludes appropriate openings 59 for rotatably mounting the housing 58with yoke 70 as illustrated in FIG. 2. A speaker 28, which may also becircular, fits into the housing 58. Speaker 28 is appropriately coupledwith circuit board 124 and appropriate audio input/output stagecircuitry 14 in the boom assembly 62 for proper operation. A retainer126 fits inside housing 58 as illustrated in FIG. 10. The retainer 126captures speaker 122 between a bottom flange 127 of the housing 58 and acooperating rim 130 of the retainer 126. (See FIG. 10). The retainer 126is sonically welded to housing 58 at junctures 129.

Turning now to the boom assembly 62, one section of the boom housing 132cooperates with another section 134 of the boom housing in a clamshellfashion to capture a printed circuit board 124 and an anchor structure136 for the boom arm 108. A portion of the anchor structure is capturedbetween the sides of the boom housing sections 132, 134. Controls 64 areappropriately and operationally coupled with the boom housing 132, 134and printed circuit board 124 through a mounting bracket 65 asillustrated in FIG. 5.

Printed circuit board 124 contains one or more of the componentsillustrated on PCB 10 in FIG. 1. In one embodiment, PCB 124 mightinclude all of the operational electronics of the terminal 50.Alternatively, there might be an additional PCB in the powersource/electronics assembly 54 in addition to the battery pack 30. Alsopositioned on PCB 124 may be an antenna (not shown) for the WLAN radio18 for transceiving frequencies associated with an 802.11 standard, forexample. The antenna is located and configured so as to minimize RFtransmissions to the head of the user.

The boom assembly housing, and particularly section 134 of the housingrotatably interfaces with the retainer 126 which is secured with earcuphousing 58. More specifically, the present invention provides a snapretaining arrangement which secures the rotating boom assembly 62 withadequate bearing surfaces in the earcup housing 58. The presentinvention does so without shoulder screws, washers, or other elementswhich have traditionally resided in or through valuable circuit boardspace. The boom assembly 62 readily snaps in place with housing 58 andfreely rotates therewith as necessary for utilization of the headsetterminal 50 on either the right side of the head or the left side of thehead. Furthermore, the rotating boom assembly provides adjustment of themicrophone 26 with respect to the user's mouth.

More specifically, referring to FIG. 10, the snap retainer 126incorporates a plurality of flexible snaps 140 positionedcircumferentially around retainer 126. Structural walls 142 separate thesnaps 140 interspersed therebetween, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 10.The boom assembly, and specifically body section 134 includes aninwardly extending flange 144 which cooperates with the snaps 140 toretain the boom assembly 62 and also to provide a bearing surface forrotation of the boom assembly. Referring to FIG. 10, the retainer snaps140 include an angled surface 146 which engages flange 144 when the boomassembly 62 is pushed into earcup housing 58. The snaps 140 are somewhatelongated from the base or flange 130 of retainer 126 and thus flexinwardly to allow the passage of flange 144 of the boom assembly. Thesnaps 140 then snap back to capture flange 144 and thereby capture theboom assembly. Opposing surfaces of the snaps 140 and flange 144 providebearing surfaces at juncture 148 as illustrated in FIG. 10. An O-ring150, such as a rubber O-ring, is positioned between flange 130 ofretainer 126 and a collar portion 152 of the boom housing section 134.The O-ring 150 provides a suitable seal for the electronics of PCB 124and the retainer snaps 140 provide retention and easy rotation for therotating boom assembly.

The unique snap fit provided by the invention eliminates the screws,washers and other fasteners engaging the circuit board 124. Thus theentire board may be used for electronic components. Therefore, a greateramount of the circuit board may be used for the processing circuitry 12,such as for voice processing in accordance with one aspect of theinvention. The invention thus provides sufficient board space whilekeeping the headset terminal 50 small and lightweight. Component costsare further reduced, as are assembly costs and time. The boom assembly62, housing 58 and other components might be made of a suitable,lightweight plastic.

Turning now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, another aspect of the present inventionis illustrated involving the operation of the adjustable sliding arm 68of the headset terminal 50. Specifically, in accordance with anotheraspect of the present invention, the headset terminal 50 providesinterconnectibility between the various electronics, processingcircuits, and operational components of the terminal while maintaining aclean and desirable aesthetic look to the headset terminal 50 andsize/comfort adjustability of the headband assembly 56.

Specifically, as illustrated in FIGS. 6-8, the headset terminal 50incorporates an earcup assembly 52 and a power source/electronicsassembly 54 on opposite sides of the headband assembly 56. Generally,the earcup assembly 52 and the power sources/electronics assembly 54collectively incorporate printed circuit boards, electrical components,power sources such as batteries, and other devices which utilizeelectrical signals. As such, the operability of the headset terminal 50is dependent upon the interconnection between these various electricalcomponents, circuit boards, and power source(s). To that end, signalwires, power wires, and other suitable cabling must be run from one sideof the headset terminal to the other side. Furthermore, because of theadjustability of the headset terminal 50 and the movement of the earcupassembly 52 and sliding arm 68, the cabling must be dynamicallyadjustable in length for a proper headset fit and proper operation,without disconnections. Prior art headsets incorporate dual or singlecables which extend from either side of the headset, and thus areexposed and may become tangled. As noted, this is particularlyunsuitable for the wireless headset terminal 50 of the invention whichis worn by a mobile and moving user. Alternatively, where cables havebeen incorporated to span between the sides of a headset, they havestill been exposed, thus reducing the aesthetic appeal of the headset.The present invention addresses the cable interconnection between thevarious components on the sides of the headset in a hidden or coveredfashion, while still maintaining dynamic adjustability of the earcup andthe headset fit.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the headset terminal 50 is shown having wiresor cables 160 which pass across the headband assembly 56 between thepower source/electronics assembly 54 and earcup assembly 52. While asingle wire or cable 160 is illustrated in the drawing FIGS. 6-8, itwill be appreciated that the single cable 160 may generally includemultiple conductors or multiple wires or there may be a plurality ofcables. Therefore, a single cable is shown for illustrative purposesonly. As such, the present invention is not limited to a single cable orconductor spanning the headband assembly. In one embodiment of theinvention, cable 160 may include power lines coupling the electronics ofthe PCB 124 of earcup assembly 52 with a power source, such as a battery92 in assembly 54. Alternatively, various electronics might be utilizedin assembly 54 along with a power source and cable 160 may provideinterconnections between components of the power source/electronicassembly 54 and the earcup assembly 52.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the headset terminal 50is configured so that the cable 160 articulates completely within thestructures of the headset terminal and is hidden thereby. The effectivelength of the cable 160 may dynamically change while adjusting theheadset fit due to the unique configuration of saddle 72 and the slidingarm 68 in hiding and guiding the cable, and providing protection andcontrol of the cable dynamics. Referring to FIG. 6, cable 160 may beshown passing from the power source assembly 54 over the transverse band74 b, through saddle 72, along the sliding arm 68, and then down to theearcup assembly 52. Cable 160 is appropriately coupled with theelectronic components in the earcup assembly 52 (not shown).

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the internal configuration and dynamics of thesaddle 72 and sliding arm 68 as the fit of the headset terminal 50 isadjusted and the length of cable 160 dynamically varied. FIG. 7illustrates the sliding arm in position with the earcup assemblyproximate an uppermost position on the headset. Transverse bands 74 a,74 b include band structures such as metal straps 162 that are anchoredat suitable anchoring points 163 in the saddle and are appropriatelyanchored with assembly 54 on the other side of the headset. The fit ofthe headset is determined by the adjustable height of the earcupassembly 52 as provided by movement of sliding arm 68 in the saddle 72.The anchor points 163 for the bands 162 are located in terminal portions165 formed in the saddle 72. The terminal portions 165 form passages 166for the passage of cable 160 between the transverse bands 74 a , 74 band the sliding arm 68. A cavity 169 is formed in the sliding arm. Thecable is contained, in an articulated fashion, in cavity 169, as shownin FIGS. 7 and 8. Formed in sliding arm 68 is an elongated slot 170,which extends along the cavity and allows passage of cable 160 fromtransverse band 74 b over to the cavity 169 of sliding arm 68 throughpassage 166. Slot 170 has a defined length, along the length of thesliding arm, so that as the sliding arm is moved to a lowermost positionas illustrated in FIG. 8, the crossover of cable 160 is maintainedthrough passage 166 as shown in FIG. 8. Guide structures 172, 174 guidecable 160 along the sliding arm 68 as it articulates due to the movementof sliding arm 68 within the saddle 72. As is illustrated in FIG. 7,when the earcup assembly 52 is proximate its uppermost position, asignificant amount of cable 160 is not utilized and thus must be storedwithin the headset assembly. That is, the effective length of the cableis shorter. Previous headsets leave cables exposed and/or loose aroundthe headset, ruining the aesthetic appeal of the headset, and alsoexposing cables that may be caught or snagged. Due to the cooperationbetween the guide structures 172, 174, the cable within the sliding arm68 is wrapped back on itself as illustrated in FIG. 7 so that the excessportion of cable indicated by reference numeral 180 is maintained withinthe sliding arm 68. FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the internal configurationof sliding arm 68 and expose the guide structures 172, 174. As may beseen, the cable 160 wraps back on itself multiple times around themultiple guide structures 172, 174. However, as illustrated in FIGS. 2and 6, a cover 69 extends along a portion of sliding arm 68 and therebycovers cavity 169 and the articulated cable 160 and the guide structures172, 174. As such, the cable 160 is generally completely hidden fromview regardless of the position of the earcup.

When the headset terminal 50 is adjusted so that the earcup assembly ismoved as shown by reference arrows 182 in FIG. 6, to the lowermostposition illustrated in FIG. 8, the slack cable portion 180 is taken upby guide structure 172 to allow the sliding arm 68 to slide throughsaddle 72 as shown. In FIG. 7, cable 160 crosses over through passage166 at a lower end of the slot 170, but when the sliding arm isextended, the cable 160 crosses over into the sliding arm proximate theupper end of the slot 170. That is, in FIG. 7, the passage 166 islocated proximate the lower end of slot 170, and in FIG. 8, passage 166is located proximate the upper end of slot 170. In that way, the headsetterminal 50, and specifically the earcup assembly 52 may be dynamicallyadjusted, with the dynamic lengthening and shortening of the effectivelength of the cable 160 being readily handled within the sliding arm 68and saddle 72 without any significant exposure of the cable. Theaesthetics of the headset terminal are thus maintained and the cable isnot exposed to be caught or snagged.

Referring again to FIG. 7, if the earcup assembly 52 is again moved withthe sliding arm 68 to an uppermost position, the cable slack portion 180is maintained within the sliding arm and generally out of view. Thus,the cable dynamics are protected and controlled and a high aestheticquality is achieved by hiding the cable and eliminating any strapopenings within the headband assembly 56.

FIGS. 11-15 illustrate another inventive aspect of the headset terminal50 of the invention. Generally, the embodiment of headset terminal 50that is a self-contained mobile terminal or computer for handling avariety of tasks will require a power source. This is particularly truefor one embodiment of the headset terminal 50, wherein it is a mobileterminal with speech capabilities, including speech recognition andspeech synthesis, for speech enabled work applications. Generally, theportable power source is a battery 92.

Referring to FIG. 11, the power source/electronic assembly 54 of headsetterminal 50 includes a housing 90 containing a battery 92 and any othersuitable electronics as noted above. A latch 94 holds battery 92 withinhousing 90. The latch may be actuated for allowing removal andreplacement of battery 92. In accordance with one aspect of theinvention, latch 94 utilizes a unique combination of elements thatallows it to snap into housing 90 in a simple yet robust fashion and tooperate in a sliding fashion by sliding longitudinally with respect tohousing 90. FIG. 12 illustrates housing 90 with the battery 92 removed.At one end of housing 90 a latch retention assembly 200 is formed tohold or retain latch 94 in an operable fashion. Battery 92 fits into anappropriate cavity 202 formed in housing 90 and interfaces withelectrical contacts 204, or other electrical interconnections. While inFIGS. 12, 14 and 15, the battery 92 is shown taking up significantly allthe space of cavity 202, other electronics, such as a PCB with variouscomponents, might also be mounted in cavity 202. Latch retentionassembly 200 includes latch retention snaps 206 on either side of aspring 208 as illustrated in FIG. 12. Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, thelatch retention snaps include up-struck hook portions 210 that capturesnap retention ribs on the underside of latch 94 (see FIG. 13 a).

Referring to FIG. 13, latch 94 includes a catch structure or catch 212.As illustrated in FIG. 14, when the latch 94 is in a “latch” position tocapture or latch the battery 92, the catch 212 engages an appropriatelyformed shoulder 214 on the battery 92. As may be appreciated, battery 92may include an outer housing and an internal battery cell 93 as shown incross-section in FIGS. 14 and 15. Also, as noted, some electronics mightbe used in the space shown occupied by cell 93. The latch retentionassembly 200 holds latch 94 in place, and thus the latch 94 keepsbattery 92 in proper position within housing 90. Referring again toFIGS. 12 and 13, latch 94 may be positioned to span transversely acrossthe battery cavity 202. The latch is then slid in the direction shown byreference arrow 203 to engage the latch retention assembly 200. In doingso, retention tabs 216 which extend outwardly from either side of thecatch 212, slide underneath respective rail surfaces 220 on either sideof the snaps 206. Surfaces 220 are part of the latch retention assembly200 (See FIG. 16). The cross-section of FIG. 16 illustrates theretention tabs captured below the rail surfaces 220, thereby holdinglatch 94 downwardly within housing 90. Referring again to FIG. 12, asthe latch slides toward the latch retention assembly 200, retention tabs216 slide under rail surfaces 220 and the snap retention ribs 213 (SeeFIG. 13A) engage the snaps 206 and are captured by engagement of thehook portions 210 with a stop surface 211 of the snap retention ribs. Aspring surface 222 on the backside of catch 212 bears against spring208. Ribs 223 on either side of surface 222 keep the spring 208 aligned.Spring 208 drives latch 94 to the operable latching or latch position asillustrated in FIG. 14. In that position, the catch 212 bears againstshoulder 214 to keep the battery 92 in place. To unlatch battery 92 sothat it can be removed and/or replaced, latch 94 is simply slid awayfrom battery 92 against spring 208 to an “unlatch” position, asillustrated in FIG. 15. The battery 92 may then be removed. Spring 208is kept in position by a spring holder post 209 as illustrated in FIGS.14 and 15. When released, latch 94 then snaps back in its latch orengagement position as illustrated in FIG. 14. Spring 208 keeps it inthat latch position and engagement between the hook portion 210 of snaps206 and stop surface 211 of the snap retention ribs 213 keep the latch94 from sliding out of position and away from housing 90 when no batteryis in position. As illustrated in FIG. 13, gap spacers 224 might be usedfor proper spacing of the latch as it engages the battery as shown inFIG. 14. Since the latch will be operated multiple times during itslife, wear ribs 228 might be utilized to absorb some of the wear andkeep the latch operating properly (See FIG. 13A).

The snap retention ribs 213 and specifically the stop surfaces 211 arenormal to the sliding plane of the latch as illustrated by referencearrow 230 in FIG. 14. The snaps 206 of the main housing, andspecifically the hook portions 210 have surfaces that are also normal tothe sliding plane 230. As noted, the surfaces of hook portions 210engage the stop surfaces 211 of the ribs 213 and retain the latch in thenominal position. The spring force of spring 208 forces the latch 94 torest against the snaps 206 in the sliding plane 230. The retention tabs216 are captured by the rail surfaces 220 of the housing to provide theprimary load path for the mass of the battery 92 which is held by thelatch. As described above, the latch is assembled by simply aligning theretention tabs 216 with rail surfaces 220 and snapping the latch intoplace via retention ribs 213 and snaps 206.

In another aspect of the invention, the modular architecture of wirelessheadset terminal 50 allows the separation of the “personal” componentsof headset terminal 50, i.e., those that touch the user's head, ears, ormouth, from the non-personal, expensive electronics since the headset isa unitary system with no separate body-worn terminal.

In single shift operations, the entire wireless headset terminal 50 isplaced in the charger while not in use. In multi-shift operations, thepersonal components can be removed from the terminal 50 so the terminalmight be reused. Referring to FIG. 2, the pads 60, 96 and/or 76 might beremoved, along with the windscreen 29 on the microphone 26. A new userwould then personalize the terminal with their personal components.

In use, one typical operation of terminal 50 might be as follows. At thebeginning of a shift, a user selects any available terminal at theirworkplace from a pool of terminals. The user then assembles theirpersonal items to the earcup assembly and microphone boom assembly. Inparticular, the user might secure pad 60 to the earcup assembly. A freshbattery 92 might be installed and latched. The user may then installtheir microphone windscreen 29 onto microphone 26 of microphone boomassembly 62. Once all assembly is complete, the user places wirelessheadset terminal 50 on their head, such that earpad 60 is in contactwith their ear, microphone 26 is positioned in close proximity to theirmouth, and headpad 96 is in contact with their head. The user thenactivates terminal 50 by use of controls 64 of user interface 20 and, asa result, power is delivered from battery 92 to wireless headsetterminal 50. Subsequently, program and product data may be loaded from acentral system (not shown) into terminal 50 via the Wi-Fi radio aspects.Voice commands are processed by CPU 12 and the appropriate response isgenerated, which is directed digitally to audio input/output stage 14.Audio input/output stage 14 then converts the digital data to an analogaudio signal, which is transmitted to speaker 28. Subsequently, the userhears spoken words through speaker 28 and takes action accordingly. Theuser may then speak into microphone 26, which generates an analog audiosignal, that is then transmitted to audio input/output stage 14. Audioinput/output stage 14 then converts the analog signal to a digital wordthat represents the audio sound received from microphone 26 and,subsequently, CPU 12 processes the information. During the operation ofheadset terminal 50, data within memory 16 or CPU 12 is being updatedcontinuously with a record of task data, under the control of CPU 12.Furthermore, radio transmission occurs between Wi-Fi radio 18 and acentral computer (not shown) through a wireless RF network fortransmitting or receiving task data in real time or batch form. When theuser has completed their tasks, such as at the end of a shift, the userremoves headset terminal 50 from their head and deactivates the headsetwith the controls 64.

In one embodiment, wireless headset terminal 50, in addition to thenoted features above, provides the following features:

-   -   Instant response from full, on-board speech recognition and        synthesis, powered by a 600 MHz Intel® XScale™ processor    -   Fully secure, standards-based host computer communications, with        integrated support for both 802.11b and 802.11g    -   Support for a wide variety of Bluetooth-compatible, body-worn        wireless peripherals, through integrated Bluetooth V1.2 hardware        (optional)    -   User performance and productivity maximized through outstanding        ergonomics, combined with maximum durability for rugged        environments    -   Full shift operation, combined with absolute minimum weight    -   A secondary microphone, integrated into the earpiece, provides        even greater immunity to background noise, which further        enhances user productivity    -   Integration of headset and electronics eliminates all the issues        associated with wired or wireless connections between hand-held        or belt-mounted devices and headsets.

As noted above, the headset terminal 50 may carry significant weightwhen utilized as a mobile, voice-enabled terminal with suitableprocessing electronics and a power source, such as a battery. Thebattery in particular is oftentimes significantly heavy so as to cause astability issue. For instance, such stability issues may arise when thehead is not in an upright position or during rapid head movements. Thetraditional manner for correcting stability issues is to increase theclamping force of the headset to the head of a user. This approach,however, results in the headset being relatively uncomfortable,especially when worn over an extended period of time. Thus, it isdesirable to provide a headset that may handle significant weightthereon but is still stable even during rapid motions or atypical headpositions that do not sacrifice comfort. One embodiment of such aheadset includes the headband assembly 56 shown in FIG. 2 having thestabilizing strap 78 used in combination with the multiple transversebands 74 a, 74 b. There are, however, other arrangements that can alsoenhance stability and comfort.

FIG. 17 shows an alternate headset terminal 230 providing both stabilityand comfort. Headset terminal 230 is similar to headset terminal 50shown in FIG. 2 and like reference numerals in FIG. 17 refer to likefeatures in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the desired stability andcomfort are provided by multiple transverse bands 74 a, 74 b (shown inphantom in FIG. 17 for clarity) in combination with stabilizing strap232. While stabilizing strap 78 in FIG. 2 extends around the head in asubstantially vertical direction, stabilizing strap 232 extends aroundthe head in a substantially horizontal direction. In an exemplaryembodiment, the stabilizing strap 232 generally extends between theearcup assembly 52 and the power source/electronics assembly 54 andalong the back portion of the head and/or neck of a user. Thestabilizing strap 232 generally includes an elongate band 234 and a pairof connecting members 236, 238 configured to couple the strap 232 to theheadset terminal 230.

The elongate band 234 includes a first end 240 adapted to be coupledproximate to one of the assemblies 52, 54 and a second, opposed end 242adapted to be coupled proximate to the other assembly 52, 54. Theelongate band 234 further includes a first surface 244 adapted toconfront the back of the head when being worn by a user, and a secondsurface 246 facing opposite to the first surface 244. In an exemplaryembodiment, the elongate band 234 has a composite constructioncomprising a foam layer sandwiched between two pieces of coverstock thatare, for example, stitched together to secure the foam layertherebetween. The coverstock may be formed from leather, vinyl, clothand other materials and configured to provide an aesthetic appearance.For example, the coverstock may be a faux leather. The coverstock isadapted to provide not only an aesthetic appearance, but also adapted toprovide a structural aspect to the band 234 sufficient to withstand thetensile and other forces applied to the strap during normal usage. Thefoam layer, which may be either open or closed cell foam, is adapted toprovide a relatively soft, more-comfortable strap. Those of ordinaryskill in the art will appreciate that the elongate band 234 may beformed from other materials including various synthetic or naturalmaterials. Those of ordinary skill in the art will further recognizethat the band 234 is not limited to a composite structure as otherunitary structures may be used that satisfy both the structural aspectand aesthetic aspects. For instance, neoprene® and other synthetic ornatural rubber could be used to make elongate band 234.

As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the first end 240 of the elongate band 234is adapted to be coupled to the headset terminal 230 proximate earcupassembly 52. The connecting member 236 facilitates this coupling.Connection member 236 includes a swivel joint 248 having a first endportion 250 capable of rotation relative to a second end portion 252around a longitudinal axis of the swivel joint, as is known in the art.The first end portion 250 of swivel joint 248 is coupled to the firstend 240 of the elongate band 234, either directly or through anintermediate connector, such as ring 254. The connecting member 236further includes an openable and closable hook, as is known in the art.Hook 256 is coupled to the second end portion 252 of swivel joint 248and capable of selectively coupling to a connecting element, such as aneyelet 258, on the headset terminal 230. Connecting member 236 thuspermits the elongate band 234 to rotate or pivot about the headsetterminal 230 through swivel joint 248 and to be selectively coupled orremoved from headset terminal 230 through hook 256.

As mentioned above, the connecting member 236 is adapted to be coupledto headset terminal 230 proximate earcup assembly 52. This coupling isconfigured so that the connecting member 236 has minimal contact withthe head. More particularly, as the components of the connecting member236 may be metal or other relatively rigid materials, it is desirablethat these components do not contact the head to cause discomfort to thewearer. In one embodiment, the clip 256 may be adapted to couple to theeyelet 258 positioned on a base or lower portion of sliding arm 68 andabove the earcup housing 58. In particular, the eyelet 258 may bepositioned on an inner surface 260 of the sliding arm 68 andsufficiently spaced from earcup housing 58 so that the connecting member236 does not have or has minimal contact with the head or ear of theuser. The eyelet 258 may be integrally formed with the sliding arm 68,such as through a molding process, or may be a separate piece coupled tosliding arm through some other process, such as sonic welding, adhesivebonding, friction or snap fit, etc. Those of ordinary skill in the artwill recognize that the hook 256 may couple to the headset terminal 230proximate the earcup assembly 52 at other locations so that contactbetween the connecting member 236 and the head is prevented orminimized. For instance, the connecting member 236 may be coupled to theheadset terminal 230 at the earcup assembly 52 itself, such as along theearcup housing 58.

As shown in FIGS. 17 and 19, the second end 242 of the elongate band 234is adapted to be coupled to the headset terminal 230 proximate the powersource/electronics assembly 54. The connecting member 238 facilitatesthis coupling. Connecting member 238 is substantially similar inconstruction and operation to connecting member 236. Thus thedescription of connecting member 236 will suffice as a description ofconnecting member 238 and like features are given like referencenumerals for the two connecting members. The coupling between theconnecting member 238 and the headset terminal 230 is likewiseconfigured to prevent or minimize contact between the connecting member238 and the head. In one embodiment, the hook 256 is adapted to coupleto a connecting element on the power source/electronics assembly 54. Inparticular, a lower portion 262 of the housing 90 includes a recess orcavity 264 wherein a cross bar 266 traverses an opening to the cavity264. Such a configuration allows the clip 256 of the connecting member238 to be coupled thereto. The pad 96 on the assembly 54 may include acutout 268 that facilitates convenient access to the cavity 264.

In another aspect, the coupling between the headset terminal 230 and thestabilizing strap 232 may be configured to ensure that the strap 232 maybe used regardless of the side of the head on which the earcup assembly52 and power source/electronics assembly 54 are positioned. Inparticular, a user utilizing the headset terminal 230 may want toposition the earcup assembly 52 such that it is either over the rightear or the left ear. Thus, it is desirable that the strap 232 operate ina similar manner no matter what ear the earcup assembly 52 ispositioned. To this end, the connecting elements on the headset terminal230 (i.e., eyelet 258 and cross bar 266) to which the strap 232 couplesmay advantageously be located along a central plane 290 of the headsetterminal 230. Coupling the strap 230 to the headset terminal 230 withincentral plane 290 creates a symmetric configuration that permits thestrap to couple to the headset and operate in a similar manner. In thisway, the stabilizing strap 232 is reversible and can be used no matterwhat orientation the headset terminal 230 is placed on the head.

In another aspect of the invention, the stabilizing strap 232 may beconfigured to be adjustable. To this end, the elongate band 234 mayinclude a first band portion 272 and a second band portion 274 thatcooperate so as provide an adjustment feature. The first band portion272 includes an end coupled to the earcup assembly 52 in a mannerdescribed above and the second band portion 272 includes an end coupledto the power source/electronics assembly 54 as described above. In oneembodiment, the second band portion 274 includes an enclosed slot oropening 276 adapted to receive the first band portion 272. Inparticular, the first band portion 272 may be inserted through slot 276and folded back on itself to form a loop 278 and defining a free end 280(FIGS. 17, 20). The free end 280 is then fastened to the first bandportion 272 to secure the two end portions 272, 274 together. In anexemplary embodiment, the free end 280 and first band portion 272 may befastened by a hook and loop fastener, such as Velcro®. For instance, thesecond surface 246 of the first band portion 272 may include one of thehook and loop fasteners along selected portions thereof and spaced fromfree end 280 shown schematically at 275. The second surface 246 of thefirst band portion 272 proximate free end 280 may include the other ofthe hook and loop fasteners shown schematically at 277. In this way,when the first band portion 272 is folded back on itself, the fasteners275, 277 confront each other and may be pressed together to achieve thefastening. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize a widerange of fasteners that may be used to achieve the adjustability of thestabilizing strap 232 such as with snaps, buttons, etc.

In use, the stabilizing strap 232 may be tightened by releasing the hookand loop fasteners and pulling on the free end 280 so that an additionallength of the first band portion 272 is passed through slot 276. Oncethe desired tightening has been achieved, the hook and loop fasteners275, 277 are re-engaged to secure the first and second band portions272, 274 together. In a similar manner, the stabilizing strap 232 may beloosened by releasing the hook and loop fasteners and feeding a lengthof the free end back through slot 276. Once the desired amount ofloosening has been achieve, the hook and loop fasteners are re-engagedto secure the first and second band portions 272, 274 together.

As shown in FIG. 20, and in another embodiment of the invention, theheadset terminal 282 may include both the vertically orientedstabilizing strap 78 in combination with the horizontally orientedstabilizing strap 232. In addition, the stabilizing strap 232 is inkeeping with the modular architecture of the headset terminalconstruction by providing for separation of the personal components thattouch the user's head, ears or mouth. In particular, the ability toselectively couple and remove the strap 232 from the headset terminal230 allows a user's strap, along with the other personalized components,to be removed after a shift and another user's personalize components,including the strap, to be coupled to the headset terminal duringhis/her shift.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description ofthe embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been describedin considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant torestrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to suchdetail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broaderaspects is not limited to the specific details of representativeapparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described.Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departurefrom the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept.

1. A headset adapted to be positioned on a head of a user, comprising: aheadband assembly for spanning across the head of a user; an earcupassembly coupled proximate one end of the headband assembly; a powersource assembly coupled proximate the other end of the headbandassembly; and a flexible stabilizing strap having a first end coupled tothe headset proximate the earcup assembly and a second end coupled tothe headset terminal proximate the power source assembly, thestabilizing strap adapted to engage the head of a user to furtherstabilize the headset on the head.
 2. The headset of claim 1, whereinthe stabilizing strap is reversible so as to be used when the headset isused on either side of a user's head.
 3. The headset of claim 2, whereinthe headset further comprises: a central plane, the first and secondends of the strap being coupled proximate the earcup assembly and powersource assembly, respectively, in the central plane.
 4. The headset ofclaim 1, wherein the strap is removable.
 5. The headset of claim 4,further comprising: a first connecting element on the headset proximatethe ear assembly; a second connecting element on the headset proximatethe power source assembly; a first connecting member coupled to thefirst end of the strap and having a clip releasably coupled to the firstconnecting element on the headset; and a second connecting membercoupled to the second end of the strap and having a clip releasablycoupled to the second element on the headset.
 6. The headset of claim 5,wherein the first connecting element is an eyelet.
 7. The headset ofclaim 5, wherein the second connecting element comprises: a recessdefining an opening; and a cross bar traversing the opening.
 8. Theheadset of claim 5, where in at least one of the first and secondconnecting members further include a swivel joint.
 9. The headsetterminal of claim 1, wherein the strap is padded.
 10. An adjustableheadset adapted to be positioned on a head of a user, comprising: aheadband assembly for spanning across the head of a user; an earcupassembly coupled proximate one end of the headband assembly; a powersource assembly coupled proximate the other end of the headbandassembly; the headband assembly including at least one transverse bandand a sliding arm that is slidingly coupled with the transverse band,the earcup assembly being coupled to the sliding arm for dynamicallyadjusting the position of the earcup assembly with respect to theheadband assembly; and a first stabilizing strap having a first endcoupled to the headset proximate the earcup assembly and a second endcoupled to the headset proximate the power source assembly, the headsethaving a central plane and the first and second ends are coupled to theheadset in the central plane so that the strap may be used when theheadset is used on either side of the head.
 11. The headset of claim 10,wherein the first end of the first stabilizing strap is coupled to thesliding arm.
 12. The headset of claim 10, wherein the second end of thefirst stabilizing strap is coupled to the power source assembly.
 13. Theheadset of claim 10, wherein the first stabilizing strap is adjustable.14. The headset of claim 13, wherein the first strap further comprises:an elongate band having a first band portion and a second band portion,the first band portion having a first and second end, the first endcoupled to the headset proximate the earcup assembly, the second bandportion having a first and second end, the first end coupled to theheadset proximate the power source assembly; an opening through thesecond band portion adjacent the second end and adapted to receive thefirst band portion therethrough to form a loop; and a fastener forreleasably securing a free end of the first band portion to itself. 15.The headset of claim 14, wherein the fastener is a hook and loopfastener.
 16. The headset of claim 10 further comprising: a secondstabilizing strap coupled to the transverse band.